What’s next for Aljamain Sterling and Youssef Zalal after UFC Vegas 116?

The UFC was back at the Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, April 25, for UFC Vegas 116. In the main event, featherweight contenders threw down as Aljamain Sterling took on Youssef Zalal.

Sterling entered the fight coming off a decision win over Brian Ortega to return to the win column. Zalal, meanwhile, was riding an eight-fight winning streak and was on a five-fight winning streak in the UFC, entering his first main event.

Ultimately, it was Sterling who got a hard-fought decision win as he was able to take Zalal down and control him for a hard-fought win. Following UFC Vegas 116, here is what I think should be next for the featherweight contenders.

Aljamain Sterling

Aljamain Sterling entered UFC Vegas 116 as the underdog, and he was looking to cement himself as a featherweight title contender. Sterling fought well as he was able to control Zalal on the mat and use his pressure and grappling to win a clear-cut decision to prove he’s still an elite fighter.

Following the win, Sterling called for a title shot, but it does seem likely that Movsar Evloev will get the next shot. So, a logical next fight is to face Lerone Murphy, who nearly beat Evloev. Both have lost to Evloev, and the winner will likely be the next featherweight title challenger, and it’s a fight that can headline a Fight Night card later this year, or be on the same card as Volkanovski-Evloev.

Youssef Zalal

Youssef Zalal had a chance to cement himself as a legit title contender at UFC Vegas 116, but he suffered a hard-fought decision loss to Aljamain Sterling. The fight will be a good learning experience for Zalal, who will no doubt learn from it and come back better.

Despite the loss, Zalal is still a title contender, but he will likely need multiple wins to get a title shot. His next fight should be against Aaron Pico, which would be a tough test, and whoever wins would be right in the mix for a title shot.

What do you think should be next for Aljamain Sterling and Youssef Zalal after UFC Vegas 116?